When it comes to producing good quality, nutritious silage small things can make a big difference. This is especially true of mistakes. A shortcut or a small oversight can ultimately result in silage that is unusable due to insufficient dry matter content or worse, silage that is dangerous to herd health because of mould growth and the likely presence of mycotoxins or Listeria.
Many farmers have come to accept some issues, particularly with mould, as inevitable and as a necessary evil. The reality is however, it's all too often caused by someone committing one of a number of silage "sins".
For cost-effective weed control in root crops the emphasis must be placed on pre-emergence application of herbicides. Every year we receive a large number of calls from concerned growers who have applied no herbicide at all and who are concerned that their root crop is disappearing under a sea of weeds. By this point, it is usually too late to save the crop!
Efficiency on UK livestock farms is at the forefront of many farmers minds as the future of support payments becomes uncertain and England and Wales drive for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
While efficiency encompasses all areas of farm management and production, there are some easy wins producers can make to help make your farm more efficient.
As a farmer, planning worm control prior to turnout is vital to prevent cattle from becoming infected at grass, which could lead to subsequent production losses. Asking the following questions can help you and your animal health care provider understand when to treat cattle and with what product:
Prepare yourself for summer and take a read about the different effects that parasites have on your youngstock and what can be done to reduce the risk both for internal and external parasites.
The treatment of your slurry lagoons is highly important for any farmer. Incorporating a good management plan to oversee this process is just as important for the farmer manager to keep up with to ensure slurry is managed safely. Within the Wynnstay Slurry guide, we look at the 3 steps for the treatment of a slurry lagoon.
Discover our guide on slurry treatment for channels leading to a solid cover tower. In our guide we work out the quanitity of treatment needed for your needs and what to do once this has been established.
As temperatures turn colder our calves will need additional energy. This energy supports normal body functions as well as maintaining body temperature. Any energy that is surplus to these basic requirements is available for growth. As the live weight of the calf increases as does their daily maintenance energy requirement.
Innovations in technology mean solar installations are now a practical and cost-effective method of powering areas where mains power is either unavailable or impractical. The Speedrite solar power range is #NothingButSeriousPower.
The best electric fence is the one that is suited to your requirements. Our table outlines the 3 main types of electric fence structures as a starting point to help you identify which fence type best suits your needs.
